Split fin hate?

[Twoblues]

It’s not that we won’t tell you, we can’t tell you.
Read the TOS.
Just like politics, diving has become very polarized

Use the fins that work for you! Opinions are overated!

 

[tarponchik]

So, why don't they make split kayak paddle blades? Or even flexible paddle blades? In fact, if you read this review, for example, you conclude that flex blades are no good, because of inefficient power transfer.

 

[DeepSeaExplorer]

So, why don't they make split kayak paddle blades? Or even flexible paddle blades? In fact, if you read this review, for example, you conclude that flex blades are no good, because of inefficient power transfer.

There was a post years back where someone took a cave class and talked the instructor into letting them use their split fins.

Student then couldn’t get enough thrust to swim against the flow and into the cave with the floppy splits and had to change to paddle fins.

 

[NW Dive Dawg]

There was a post years back where someone took a cave class and talked the instructor into letting them use their split fins.

Student then couldn’t get enough thrust to swim against the flow and into the cave with the floppy splits and had to change to paddle fins.

From personal experience I can see this perspective as a valid point. Overall...... I find split fins to be an excellent option for most typical recreational diving as long as the diver is competent with good buoyancy control. But in scenarios where a person may need a short bust of pure HP power and propulsion to get back to a tag-line or against a strong current....then you can actually "out-kick" the splits to the point where they are no longer effective. Anyway, that's my experience and my choice is that I prefer the blades (Mares Avanti Quatro +) ..... Just say'n

 

[Marie13]

Who scissor kicks all the time? I actually hate it when diving,
Frog kick is so much more relaxing,
If it really strong then scissor kick is more powerful.
But to relax, modified fludder/frog kick works well,

Who scissor kicks all the time? Probably the vast majority of recreational divers. I once had one ask me “what was that kick you were doing?” I was doing frog. She’d never seen it before and had never heard of it.

 

[Bob Evans]

Who scissor kicks all the time? Probably the vast majority of recreational divers. I once had one ask me “what was that kick you were doing?” I was doing frog. She’d never seen it before and had never heard of it.

Interesting to note I made the Foil Force for a US Marine. He swam Turtleback and liked to scissor kick. The Force fin pro wing tips were interfering, so I lengthened the split and narrowed the blade. Thus your first " Split Fin" with Patents filed on design. These Patents allowed us to produce our product, Foil Force.https://forcefin.com/product/foil-force-fin/ Not my favorite, but it sure outperforms

the other flat barn door fins. Here our friend is testing the Extra Force fin.

 

[Tassi Devil Diver]

Split fins are like riding a bike in granny gear (low gear lots) of revolutions, high cadence, low resistance, low impact, but note really going anywhere at any great rate. People like split fins because of that low resistance feeling easier on the legs, but a rather inefficient method of propulsion. My assessment split is sh!t.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Split fins are like riding a bike in granny gear (low gear lots) of revolutions, high cadence, low resistance, low impact, but note really going anywhere at any great rate. People like split fins because of that low resistance feeling easier on the legs, but a rather inefficient method of propulsion. My assessment split is sh!t.

Maybe shift to split fins when swimming uphill.

 

[tarponchik]

There was a post years back where someone took a cave class and talked the instructor into letting them use their split fins.

Student then couldn’t get enough thrust to swim against the flow and into the cave with the floppy splits and had to change to paddle fins.

So, each student came up to the cave with 2 pairs of fins, just in case?

Seriously, I am trying to get some answers here, not just the usual mantra "paddle fins are go-o-o-o-od, split fins are ba-a-a-a-ad!"

I already compared fins with kayak paddles. Why are paddles rigid but fins flexible? And not only splits are flexible, 95% of all fins you see are flexible here or there, like Mares X-Stream or Scubapro Seawing Nova that flex in the middle. If fins must be rigid too, why not make fins of aluminum alloy? In fact, I've seen such fins but I have no idea how good they are.

Now look at the fish. Tuna and marlin are the fastest fish of them all, and their tail fins look pretty much like split fins to me, only the blades are spread wider. I am sure that after 400 million years of evolution fish could have come up with a rigid bone tail fin instead, if this had any mechanical advantage. Yet I do not know any fish that uses a bone plate as a tail fin and the fastest fish prefer splits. Why is that?

I can see just one difference with a kayak paddle. The paddle moves in the water one way, while fish tails and diver's fins move back and forth. What difference does it make?

 

[boulderjohn]

Who scissor kicks all the time? Probably the vast majority of recreational divers. I once had one ask me “what was that kick you were doing?” I was doing frog. She’d never seen it before and had never heard of it.

Check the other posts about this.

Nobody scissor kicks while diving, but the overwhelming majority of divers flutter kick all the time.